Creamy Vegan Carrot Risotto (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)

This super creamy Vegan Carrot Risotto takes less than 25 minutes to make from start to finish! Packed with real pureed carrots, it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, allergy-free, and such an easy recipe to make for a healthy and comforting dinner entree or rice side dish!

Another vegetable-packed, healthy, dairy-free risotto recipe! It’s been years since I’ve made risotto, circa the famous Beetroot Risotto from 2016! Risotto always seems intimidating to people, but it’s not (at least, it doesn’t have to be!) This carrot risotto is just 6 ingredients and takes about 25 minutes from start to finish. It’s made right on your stovetop in a large cast-iron skillet and makes the creamiest risotto you’ve ever had…without the cheese!

What do you need to make carrot risotto?

We’re keeping it super simple with minimal ingredients, allowing the carrots to shine! Just 6 essential ingredients:

• Chopped Onion
• Minced Garlic
• Carrots
• Arborio Rice
• Vegetable Broth
• Black Pepper
• Nutritional Yeast (optional)

How to puree the carrots

I think you know where I’m going with this…What I used and what I recommend you use for the pureed carrot portion is some baby food! Beech-Nut Sweet Carrot puree is my go-to, not only for baking but cooking as well. Little jars of just carrots and water, all the hard work is own for you. You just need 1 cup, about 3 jars worth. If you would rather make it yourself, you’ll increase the time for this easy recipe, but it’s doable!

Boil about 4 large carrots until soft and then blend them super smooth in a food processor or blender. No need to peel them either, just chop them into chunks for easier boiling and blending.

How to make super creamy vegan risotto

This risotto gets its creaminess from the carrot puree and the way it’s cooked in the broth. Risotto is made by adding small amounts of broth to the rice over time, allowing it to develop this ultra-creamy consistency. Usually, parmesan cheese and butter are added, giving it even more creaminess, but for a dairy-free recipe, we’re using pure vegetable puree which does the trick just as well.

You add the broth to the rice and carrot puree a 1/2 cup at a time until it’s mostly absorbed. Then you add another 1/2 cup and continue this process until the rice has taken 3 cups of broth total. You do need to stir it often to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the skillet and during the last 1/2 cup of broth added you’ll need to stir consistently until you get the final creamy texture you want.

Allowing the rice to cook longer at the end will give you a super thick risotto (which is what I like). If you take it off the heat a bit sooner when there’s still some liquid, you’ll have a more “free-flowing” risotto. Either way is delicious and up to you!

To add nutritional yeast or not?

In the beetroot risotto recipe, I didn’t add nutritional yeast. That recipe was strongly flavored with the beets and additional spices. There was not “cheesy” flavor then, but for this carrot risotto, the flavor profile is super simple and carrot-forward. I decided to throw in just a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to boost the cheesiness, but it’s not necessary and won’t make or break this dish.

Additional Risotto Tips

1. You can use a cast-iron skillet or just a normal large skillet (even pot!). Something with a high enough edge to reduce splatter.
2. To store any leftover risotto, let it cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
3. To reheat the risotto, you can warm in in a pot on the stove with a few splashes of extra broth to get it moving again. (Or just pop it in the microwave #lazy).
4. Risotto can be served as an entree or in smaller portions as a side dish. This carrot recipe can double as a vegetable and carby side dish (win-win!)
5. Feel free to add other spices, herbs, and seasonings to your risotto. If you’re not vegan, a simple chicken broth will work as well for this dish too.

Healthy comfort food for the whole family

Don’t you love comfort food recipes you can feel good about serving and eating that are safe for everyone’s food allergies? This risotto is even an easy way to sneak in extra veggies without anyone knowing! Serving the carrots in the creamy “hidden” form as a yummy rice dish is an easy way to introduce them into any picky-eaters’ diet! It’s completely…

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
• Sugar-Free
• Kid-Friendly
• Healthy & Vegetable-Packed

Vegan Carrot Risotto

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So good, so creamy, and perfect for an easy early Spring dinner, don’t you think? I love using veggies in an unexpected way and this carrot risotto recipe is just the way to do it!

More Savory Carrot Recipes:

• African Spiced Carrot Millet
• Spicy Garden Carrot Hummus
• Smokey Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup
• Mexican Carrot Dogs with Chunky Salsa Verde

So tell me:

+ What’s your favorite way to eat or use carrots? Raw, as a snack, with nut butter!

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